An unlikely skincare routine...

Coconut oil is my new favourite tool in my skincare arsenal! I started using it on my dry skin in the winter and had such great results, I wondered what would happen if I put it on my face. I know what you might be thinking... Putting oil on your face sounds nasty... And truth be told, you do have to use it sparingly. Slathering a fistful of coconut oil on your face is definitely NOT what I'm suggesting. Also, you have to be careful. I recommend a patch test because I've heard that some people's skin reacts to coconut oil.

So... Why should you consider trying this? First of all, conventional lotions contain a ton of ingredients that can damage the skin... And even cause further irritation and dryness. This was the appeal of coconut oil for me. I have very sensitive skin that gets angry even 10 feet away from the closest fragrance. I've had to switch to unscented laundry soap because of that... And boy do I miss the clean laundry smell :-(
Things in conventional lotions such as; fragrance, cetearyl alcohol and other "fatty alcohols", stearic acid and parabens, can irritate the skin, cause dryness and can even cause premature aging. So, now when you really think about putting that stuff on your face... Does coconut oil on your face seem so gross?

So, here's how I do it: in the morning I use a wet cloth to exfoliate my face and then massage the coconut oil on wet skin (a dime sized portion, very little). I then rinse it mostly off and pat dry, I find that the towel I pat my skin with will absorb the excess. At night I still use face soap to get the city and whatever makeup I might be wearing off my face... But once I've rinsed the facial cleanser off I repeat the coconut oil on wet skin routine. I've found my eyelashes even like it!! Sometimes in the shower, I'll massage the coconut oil on my face and leave it on while I wash up and THEN rinse it off.

So what's the benefit?
The molecules in coconut oil are small enough that they are easily absorbed by the skin. The texture of the oil is also similar to the natural oils the skin produces. Coconut oil is also: antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial and has vitamins and minerals that your skin will eat up!

Convinced?
I hope so!!

Have a happy day!
Talia